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US 7,597,199 B1Granted
Battery tube storage system, system container, and container latch-lock
OwnerDonald R. Rocheloinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A battery tube storage system (10) includes a first container (12) having a first light transmitting, rigid shell (14) including a first color, such as green, that defines a plurality of tubes (16A, 16B, 16C, 16D) dimensioned to receive and secure cylindrical shaped batteries (24). A first latch-lock (26) secures a top (22) to an entry-end (20) of the first shell (14). A similar second shell (32) is made of or includes a second color that is distinct from the first color, such as red. The first shell (14) can be detachably secured to the second shell (32) so that the battery storage system (10) may be used to carry varying numbers of batteries (24) depending upon the needs of a user, and by the distinct colors, a user can quickly distinguish between used and unused batteries (24).
Claims6
A battery tube storage system (10) comprising:
- a. a first container (12) having a first rigid shell (14) the first container (12) including a first color, the first shell (14) defining a plurality of tubes (16A, 16B, 16C, 16D) extending between a base-end (18) and an opposed entry-end (20) of the first shell (14), the first container (12) including a top (22) secured to the entry-end (20) for enclosing one or more batteries (24) within the plurality of tubes (16A, 16B, 16C, 16D) and a first latch means for selectively securing the top (22) to the entry-end (20) of the first shell (14);
- b. a second container (30) having a second rigid shell (32), the second container (30) including a second color distinct from the first color, the second shell (32) defining a plurality of tubes (34A, 34B, 34C, 34D) extending between a base-end (36) and an opposed entry-end (38) of the second shell (32), the second container (30) including a top (40) secured to the entry-end (38) of the second shell (32) for enclosing one or more batteries (24) within the plurality of tubes (34A, 34B, 34C, 34D) and a second latch means for selectively securing the top (40) to the entry-end (38) of the second shell (32);
- and,
- c. securing means (60) for detachably securing the first container (12) to the second container (30), wherein the securing means (60) includes a first pair of opposed lock shoulders (64) at the base-end (18) of the first shell (14) and a first lock tongue (66) extending from the first pair of opposed lock shoulders (64) along the base-end (18) of the first shell (14), and the securing means (60) also includes a second pair of opposed lock shoulders (68) at the base-end (36) of the second shell (32) and a second lock tongue (70) extending from the second pair of opposed lock shoulders (68) along the base-end (36) of the second shell (32), the first and second pairs of opposed lock shoulders (64, 68) and first and second lock tongues (66, 70) being cooperatively dimensioned so that the first lock tongue (66) slides into and between the second pair of opposed lock shoulders (68) while the second lock tongue (70) slides into and between the first pair of opposed lock shoulders (64) to secure the first container (12) to the second container (30), and wherein the first pair of lock shoulders (64) extends along about one-half of a length of the base end (18) of the first container (12) and the second pair of lock shoulders (68) extends along about one-half of a length of the base end (36) of the second container (30).
1 more element
A battery tube storage system (10) comprising:
- a. a first container (12) having a first rigid shell (14) the first container (12) including a first color, the first shell (14) defining a plurality of tubes (16A, 16B, 16C, 16D) extending between a base-end (18) and an opposed entry-end (20) of the first shell (14), the first container (12) including a top (22) secured to the entry-end (20) for enclosing one or more batteries (24) within the plurality of tubes (16A, 16B, 16C, 16D) and a first latch means for selectively securing the top (22) to the entry-end (20) of the first shell (14);
- b. a second container (30) having a second rigid shell (32), the second container (30) including a second color distinct from the first color, the second shell (32) defining a plurality of tubes (34A, 34B, 34C, 34D) extending between a base-end (36) and an opposed entry-end (38) of the second shell (32), the second container (30) including a top (40) secured to the entry-end (38) of the second shell (32) for enclosing one or more batteries (24) within the plurality of tubes (34A, 34S, 34C, 34D) and a second latch means for selectively securing the top (40) to the entry-end (38) of the second shell (32);
- c. securing means (60) for detachably securing the first container (12) to the second container (30);
- and,
- d. wherein the first latch means includes a first latch-lock (26) comprising a latch tab (80) extending from the top (22) of the first container (12) in a direction toward the entry-end (20) of the first shell (14), the latch tab including a tab-protrusion (84) dimensioned to slide over and engage a lock shoulder (86) defined at the entry-end (20) of the first shell (14) so that the latch tab (80) must be moved in a direction away from the lock shoulder (86) and plurality of tubes (16A, 16B, 16C, 16D) to permit pivoting of the top (22) away from the entry-end (20) of the first shell (14) to open the top (22), the latch-lock (26) also including at least one lock pillar (90A) extending from the lock shoulder (86) away from the entry-end (20) of the first shell (14) in a direction toward the top (22) and positioned to overlie the top (22) and to be adjacent the latch tab (80) whenever the tab-protrusion (84) engages the lock shoulder (86) so that the lock pillar (90A) prohibits disengagement of the tab-protrusion (84) from the lock shoulder (86) by compression of a front surface (94) of the first shell (14) toward an opposed back surface (96) of the first shell (14) to lock the top (22) to the entry-end (20) of the first shell (14) against accidental opening of the top (22).
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.